Six new COVID-19 cases confirmed at Niagara public schools

COVID-19 in schools Six new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed at individuals in Lincoln Centennial Public School, Forestview Public School, and Lockview Public School.

The two Niagara school boards are reporting a total of six new COVID-19 cases at public schools and one new case at a catholic school in the region.

Two more individuals at Lincoln Centennial Public School located at 348 Scott St in St. Catharines have tested positive for COVID-19. It has not been disclosed if this case is related to a case reported on Monday. It is the school’s fourth case.

There were three cases reported Tuesday at Forestview Public School located at 8406 Forestview Blvd in Niagara Falls and one case was reported at Lockview Public School located at 505 Bunting Rd in St. Catharines.

Another case was also reported yesterday at Saint Michael Catholic High School located at 8699 McLeod Rd in Niagara Falls. A second case was reported today, unrelated to the first one. It is the school’s fifth case this year, all previous cases from early in the school year have been resolved.

Students and staff at the schools were exposed to COVID-19 while each individual was infectious, the District School Board of Niagara and Niagara Catholic School Board reported on Tuesday.

The infected individuals are currently in self-isolation. NRPH is in the process of contacting all students and staff who had direct contact with the infected people. Those contacted will be advised to stay home and self-isolate.

DSBN said custodians will complete a thorough cleaning of the public schools. A public health inspector and a public health nurse from the Niagara Region will visit the school to complete a comprehensive assessment.

The school boards said staff from all schools are working with Niagara Region Public Health and will comply with all requirements.

DSBN and Niagara Catholic do not share the identities of COVID-19 cases or identify if they are teachers, staff or students. That information is sometimes publiushed at a later date by the Ontario Minsitry of Health, but its disclosure is not timely or consistent.

Community members with questions about COVID-19 can call Niagara Region Public Health’s
COVID-19 Info-Line for assistance from a Public Health Nurse, which is staffed Monday to Friday, 9:15 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 9:15 a.m. – 4:15 p.m. at 905-688-8248 or toll-free at 1-888-505-6074.

COVID-19 in Niagara schools

The DSBN is currently reporting 37 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 26 of its schools, with 13 closed classrooms and 23 resolved cases. All DSBN schools are open.

Niagara Catholic is reporting 38 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 3 active and 35 resolved, in 19 of its schools. All Niagara Catholic schools are open.

COVID-19 in West Niagara schools

Detailed data as follows for each school board :

District School Board of Niagara

SchoolLocationCasesClosed ClassroomsSchool StatusResolved CasesWho was infected?
A.N Myer Secondary School Niagara, Falls11Open0Student
Dalewood French Immersion Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
Diamond Trail Public SchoolWelland17Open0Unknown
Eden High SchoolSt. Catharines20Open21 student, 1 unidentified
E.I. McCulley Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
Ferndale Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
Forestview Public SchoolNiagara Falls32Open0Unknown
Glynn A Green Public SchoolPelham10Open1Child at YMCA daycare
Governor SimcoeSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
Grimsby Secondary SchoolGrimsby10Open1Unknown
Lincoln Centennial Public SchoolSt. Catharines40Open11 student, 1 staff, 2 unknown
Lockview Public SchoolSt. Catharines11Open0Unknown
Martha Cullimore Public SchoolNiagara Falls11Open01 student
Nelles Public SchoolGrimsby11Open0Unknown
Park Public SchoolGrimsby10Open1Unknown
Port Colborne High SchoolPort Colborne20Open22 staff
Port Weller Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
Prince Philip French Immersion Public SchoolNiagara Falls20Open21 student, 1 unknown
Quaker Road Public SchoolWelland22Open0Unknown
Richmond Street Public School Thorold14Open01 staff
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
Stevensville Public SchoolStevensville
(Fort Erie)
10Open1Unknown
Valley Way Public SchoolNiagara Falls10Open1Unknown
Welland Eastdale Secondary SchoolWelland30Open3Unknown
Westdale Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
William Hamilton Merritt Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1Unknown
Source: District School Board of Niagara

Niagara Catholic School Board

SchoolLocationActive CasesResolved CasesClosure StatusWho was infected?
Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary SchoolGrimsby11Open1 student
Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines0 2OpenUnknown
Holy Cross Catholic Secondary SchoolSt. Catharines0 2OpenUnknown
Lakeshore Catholic High SchoolPort Colborne01OpenUnknown
Mary Ward Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls0 1OpenUnknown
Notre Dame College SchoolWelland01OpenUnknown
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls03OpenUnknown
St. Alfred Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines02OpenUnknown
St. Andrew Catholic Elementary SchoolWelland01OpenUnknown
St. Charles Catholic Elementary SchoolThorold01Open1 staff member
St. Elizabeth Catholic ElementaryWainfleet1?Open1 staff member (Ontario govt reporting)
St. James Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines02Open2 students
St. John Continuing Education CentreSt. Catharines10OpenUnknown
St. Martin Catholic Elementary SchoolSmithville010Open4 students, 4 staff, 2 unidentified
St. Mary Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls02OpenUnknown
St. Michael Catholic High SchoolNiagara Falls13Open1 staff
St. Paul Catholic High SchoolNiagara Falls01OpenUnknown
St. Theresa Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines01Open1 staff members
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls01OpenUnknown
Source: Niagara Catholic District School Board

School Board COVID-19 Online Trackers

Both Niagara school boards have online COVID-19 trackers that set out school data that parents can access online.

The District School Board of Niagara launched its tracker page at: https://www.dsbn.org/covid-19-information/covid-19-public-advisory.

It publishes a table of its schools listed alphabetically and tracks the “date of confirmed positive test” along with confirmed cases in each school, closed classrooms, and school closure status.

For example, the first DSBN school to register a COVID-19 case was Eastdale Secondary School in Welland. It shows the latest test date of Sept 18, 2020. It shows three cases and five closed classrooms.

The boards do not report who was infected, or whether the case relates to a student or staff member.

Niagara Catholic District School Board also launched its COVID-19 school tracker page at: https://niagaracatholic.ca/covid-19-advisories/

It specifies in a table the schools, active cases, resolved cases, Closure Status, (open or closed).